Former U.S. Senator

James M. InhofeNo longer serving

Fact sheet
Official portrait of James M. Inhofe
427 bills introduced

Across 11 Congresses, most in the 109th at 70. In the 117th, 32 — 25 fewer than the median senator, who filed 57. Of the 427, 13 became law. Volume is not influence: the great majority of bills, from every member, never get a vote.

Bills introduced, against the typical senator 107th to 117th

median for the chamber, that Congress

Cosponsored
2,499

Signed on to someone else's bill

Recorded votes
4,197

Roll calls tied to a bill, nominations aside

Their work

Drawn from the 427 bills this member introduced: the subjects the record assigns them, and the members who most often sign on.

Most frequent cosponsors

Times each has cosponsored a bill this member introduced.

Biography

A Senator and a Representative from Oklahoma. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, November 17, 1934. Attended public schools in Tulsa, Okla. B. A. , University of Tulsa 1973. Served in the U. S. Army 1957-1958. President, Quaker Life Insurance Company. Member, Oklahoma State house of representatives 1967-1969. State senate 1969-1977. Unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Oklahoma 1974, and for the U. S. House of Representatives 1976. Mayor of Tulsa 1978-1984. Elected as a Republican to the One Hundredth and to the three succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1987, to November 15, 1994, when he resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate in the November 8, 1994, special election to the unexpired portion of the term ending January 3, 1997, left vacant by the resignation of David L. Boren. Took the oath of office on November 17, 1994. Elected for a full term in 1996. Reelected in 2002, 2008, 2014, and again in 2020, and served from November 16, 1994, until his resignation on January 3, 2023. Chair, Committee on Environment and Public Works (One Hundred Eighth, One Hundred Ninth, and One Hundred Fourteenth Congresses), Committee on Armed Services (One Hundred Fifteenth and One Hundred Sixteenth Congresses). Was a resident of Tulsa, Okla. , until his death on July 9, 2024.

Votes

How this member answered on every recorded vote tied to a bill, newest first — including the procedural motions on it, such as cloture. Votes on nominations are not listed, because they are not attached to a bill.

Sponsored bills

Bills and resolutions this member introduced.

BillTitleStatusLatest action
S 419CONTRACT Act of 2021Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 651.Dec 15, 2022
S 5170Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation ActRead twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.Dec 1, 2022
SRES 700A resolution congratulating the University of Oklahoma Sooners softball team for winning the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Women's College World Series.Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by UnanimouJun 23, 2022
S 4370Keep Our Communities Safe Act of 2022Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.Jun 9, 2022
S 3971A bill to amend the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 to modify a provision relating to cost-sharing requirements applicable to certain Bureau of Reclamation dams and dikes, and for other purposes.Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held.May 25, 2022
SRES 641A resolution designating the week of May 15 through May 21, 2022, as "National Public Works Week".Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by UnanimouMay 17, 2022
S 3917Protecting Medicaid Beneficiaries Act of 2022Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.Mar 24, 2022
S 3497Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2022Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.Jan 13, 2022

Cosponsored bills

Bills introduced by others that this member signed on to.

BillTitleStatusSigned on
SJRES 70A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened Status With Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population Segment".Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.Dec 21, 2022
S 5269Focus on the Mission Act of 2022Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.Dec 15, 2022
S 4709Expanding Local Meat Processing Act of 2022Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.Dec 6, 2022
SRES 858A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption, and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by UnanimouDec 5, 2022
S 4260Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training ActRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.Dec 1, 2022
S 1112Chisholm National Historic Trail and Western National Historic Trail Designation ActCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.Nov 28, 2022
SRES 845A resolution recognizing National Native American Heritage Month and celebrating the heritages and cultures of Native Americans and the contributions of Native Americans to the United States.Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by UnanimouNov 17, 2022
SCONRES 49A concurrent resolution expressing support for the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women's Health and Strengthening the Family and urging that the United States be added as a signatory.Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S6786-6787)Nov 17, 2022

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Party, state and chamber are those of this member's most recent term. Bills and cosponsorships are held from the 107th Congress onwards and recorded votes from the 101st, so a member who served before those points will show fewer than they filed, or none. Committee seats are held for the current Congress only, which is why they are shown for sitting members and left out for everyone else rather than reported as zero. Vote counts cover roll calls tied to a bill; the chambers also vote on procedure and nominations, which are not listed here. Office, telephone and website are not shown for a member who has left, because the ones on file were theirs while serving. Records come from Congress.gov and the Biographical Directory of Congress.